CDT_Washington's Channel

The Center for Democracy and Technology works to promote democratic values and constitutional liberties in the digital age. With expertise in law, technology, and policy, CDT seeks practical solutions to enhance free expression and privacy in global communications technologies.

CDT is dedicated to building consensus among all parties interested in the future of the Internet and other new communications media.

The Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit public policy organization dedicated to promoting the democratic potential of today's open, decentralized global Internet. Our mission is to conceptualize, develop, and implement public policies to preserve and enhance free expression, privacy, open access, and other democratic values in the new and increasingly integrated communications medium.

CDT pursues its mission through research and public policy development in a consensus-building process based on convening and operating broad-based working groups composed of public interest and commercial representatives of divergent views to explore solutions to critical policy issues. In addition, CDT promotes its own policy positions in the United States and globally through public policy advocacy, online grassroots organizing with the Internet user community and public education campaigns, and litigation, as well as through the development of technology standards and online information resources.

Work on our mission is guided by the following principles:

1. Unique Nature of the Internet: We believe that the open, decentralized, user-controlled, and shared resource nature of the Internet creates unprecedented opportunities for enhancing democracy and civil liberties. A fundamental goal of our work is seeking public policy solutions that preserve these unique qualities and thereby maximize the democratizing potential of the Internet.

2. Freedom of Expression: The Center for Democracy and Technology champions the right of individuals to communicate, publish and obtain an unprecedented array of information on the Internet. We oppose governmental censorship and other threats to the free flow of information. As an effective alternative to government controls, we believe that a diversity of technology tools can empower families and individuals on the Internet to communicate freely and make choices about the information they receive.

3. Privacy: CDT is working for individual privacy on the Internet. We believe that maintaining privacy and freedom of association on the Internet requires the development of public policies and technology tools that give people the ability to take control of their personal information online and make informed, meaningful choices about the collection, use and disclosure of personal information.

4. Surveillance: CDT challenges invasive government policies. CDT is working for strong privacy protections against surveillance on the Internet. We believe that the content of communications, stored information, and transactional data deserve strong legal protection against unreasonable government search and seizure. Protections against government searches should extend to the network, as well as to the home. CDT advocates for stronger legal standards controlling government surveillance to keep pace with the growing exposure of personal information in communications media.

5. Access: CDT is working to foster widely-available, affordable access to the Internet. We believe that broad access to and use of the Internet enables greater citizen participation in democracy, promotes a diversity of views, and enhances civil society. We work for public policy solutions that maximize, in a just and equitable fashion, the unique openness and accessibility of the Internet and preserve its vision as it evolves with ever more powerful broadband technologies.

6. Democratic Participation: CDT is pioneering the use of the Internet to enhance citizen participation in the democratic process, and to ensure the voice of Internet users is heard in critical public policy debates about the Internet. CDT believes that the Internet provides unique and effective means of promoting democracy and of facilitating grassroots organizing and public education. We support using the Internet to afford citizens the immediate, broad access to government information necessary to the full practice of democracy.

Activities: The Center for Democracy and Technology works to promote democratic values and constitutional liberties in the digital age. With expertise in law, technology and policy, CDT seeks practical solutions to enhance free expression, privacy and open access in global communications technologies. CDT is dedicated to building consensus among all parties interested in the future of the Internet and other new media.

Free Expression
The Internet allows one to communicate, publish and obtain an unprecedented array of information. CDT opposes government censorship and other threats to the free flow of information. Putting into practice its user empowerment vision of the Internet, CDT helped develop GetNetWise.org, a Web resource giving families ready access to tools for protecting children online.

Information Privacy
As Internet users surf the Net, they leave behind a trail of personal information that can be captured and used in ways they often can't control and don't even understand. CDT seeks to develop policy solutions and technology tools that empower users and enhance privacy online.

Electronic Surveillance and Cryptography
The Fourth Amendment's protections against unreasonable searches should extend to the Internet as well as the home. CDT supports the right to use strong encryption, opposes
government design mandates that expand wiretap capabilities, and advocates for stronger legal standards controlling government monitoring to keep pace with the growing exposure of personal information.

Online Democracy
Acting as a catalyst for greater interaction between policy makers and the Internet community, CDT is helping to create new avenues for citizen participation in the democratic process. CDT's Web site, online resources and policy newsletters have become models for Internet activism.

Coalition Building
CDT believes in the power of broad coalitions. CDT organized the Citizens Internet Empowerment Coalition (CIEC), a diverse group of Internet users, librarians, publishers, online service providers and civil liberties groups fighting for the future of free speech in the information age. CIEC was a successful plaintiff in the U.S. Supreme Court case declaring the Communications Decency Act unconstitutional.

Public Education
To educate the public about current policy issues, CDT provides user-friendly Web resources such as the "CDT Guide to Online Privacy," the "CDT Privacy Quiz," Policy Post newsletters, and an updated guide to "Legislation Affecting the Internet." Working through the Congressional Internet Caucus and the Internet Education Foundation, CDT educates Members of Congress on Internet issues.

Research and Scholarship
CDT assembled eleven of the world's leading cryptographers to examine the risks of systems that would give the government access to private encryption keys. Their report, "The Risks of Key Recovery, Key Escrow, and Trusted Third Party Encryption," proved highly influential. Another ad hoc group convened by CDT produced for the Federal Trade Commission a report on unsolicited commercial email.

Development of Technical Standards
Working through the Internet standards setting processes, CDT plays a leading role in ensuring that civil liberties values are reflected in computer code. One of these standards, the Platform for Privacy Preferences (P3P), gives Net surfers greater control over their personal information. CDT promotes greater openness and public representation in ICANN, the global domain names management group, and the Internet's other technical bodies.

Advocacy in the Regulatory Process
CDT is a respected voice for Internet users at Federal agencies. CDT's efforts at the Federal Communications Commission led to a broad inquiry into the privacy risks posed by government wiretapping of packet networks. At the Federal Trade Commission, CDT is pressing for effective data privacy rights for online commerce.

Mobilizing Grassroots Participation
CDT has revolutionized civic involvement through grassroots advocacy using the Internet. The "Adopt Your Legislator" program offers netizens new opportunities to make their voices heard in Washington. The "Privacy Watchdog" encourages consumers to examine online privacy polices and communicate their opinions to e-commerce businesses. CDT's "Action" page generates informed public participation in the policy process, such as comments to the Federal Election Commission regarding political advocacy online.

Working Groups
CDT coordinates a series of working groups in the areas of online privacy, digital security, and free expression. The working groups offer a forum for communications service providers, computer hardware and software producers, content providers, consumer and privacy advocates, and other non-profits to exchange information and build consensus around balanced solutions to policy problems.

International Activism
A global medium requires global activism. CDT's efforts have included a major report on Internet free expression under human rights law, a survey of policies affecting Internet access in Central and Eastern Europe, and advocacy for broader public interest representation in the global domain names election process.